Question on modifying a body

As i was workn on my integra i bought awhile back i decided i wanted to try to replicate a 1/43 scale car i had made awhile back, but with different body kits. Here is a pic of the WBK i would like to build

http://img85.echo.cx/img85/1891/p10100575jo.jpg
http://img85.echo.cx/img85/5065/p10100589en.jpg
http://img85.echo.cx/img85/7960/p10100604mo.jpg

I have seen people build skeletons out of styrene before but i was worried that it might get fragile, and if u pusshed in on it it would most likely crack the paint. I was thinkning of doing it all from bondo body filler (not putty) but that would take a long time to replicate the same shape on both sides. BTW on the 1/43, being diecast, it allowed me to use baking clay and putty to smooth. Any ideas would be much appreciated :smokin:

Note: Pics are shown un painted as i thought it would be easier to see the detail

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting (http://www.imageshack.us)

Most folks here build up body kits with styrene. The trick is not to build it up as a skeleton to put putty on. Instead, the plastic should be like layers of a cake, the putty only icing over it to smooth the contours. If you build the shape up mostly with carefulyl sized and cut laminated bits of plastic, you'll have a lot less sanding to do once the putty is dry. There have been many threads asking similar questions, if you search them out, you will likely find links in them to threads by a guy called Ratdat - his builds were almost how-tos for body kits and the like. Good luck.

Ok thanks for the tip, i did a search but the word kit was throwing everything off. I will try searching for some of ratdat's builds thanks again

Most folks here build up body kits with styrene. The trick is not to build it up as a skeleton to put putty on. Instead, the plastic should be like layers of a cake, the putty only icing over it to smooth the contours. If you build the shape up mostly with carefulyl sized and cut laminated bits of plastic, you'll have a lot less sanding to do once the putty is dry. There have been many threads asking similar questions, if you search them out, you will likely find links in them to threads by a guy called Ratdat - his builds were almost how-tos for body kits and the like. Good luck.

Soo true;) Oh and what ever happend to Ratdat, i remember his cars.

Try and avoid using as much putty as possible. On my RX-7 pretty much everything is styrene. The widebody was formed out of .030 styrene and its not brittle at all.

Try and avoid using as much putty as possible. On my RX-7 pretty much everything is styrene. The widebody was formed out of .030 styrene and its not brittle at all.

for real? sounds like a plan i guess. how did you frame it out? like did u add supports behind the styrene? thanks for the help man... long time no see :smokin:

for real?

Yes for real. Why don't you go check out his thread and see?

I searched "how bodykit" and it only returned four pages. Browsing through the result, I see a thread called "first body kit." Sounds intriguing!

A couple posts in has a ton of links that will be exactly what you are looking for. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=307315&highlight=bodykit

Folks, it's all here!

for real? sounds like a plan i guess. how did you frame it out? like did u add supports behind the styrene? thanks for the help man... long time no see :smokin:

Just added some wheel well extensions with .030 Styrene. Then I added the tops of the fender flares with .030. Thats all and its rigid as hell. I think I posted pics of the progress, its on my RX-7.

ok cool thnx for the help, ill make a progress thread for my teg soon